The present invention relates to controlling torque delivered to a vehicle driveshaft. It finds particular application in conjunction with limiting the torque delivered to the driveshaft and will be described with particular reference thereto. It will be appreciated, however, that the invention is also amenable to other applications.
A vehicle powertrain includes the components of the vehicle that generate power and deliver it to the road surface. For example, a vehicle powertrain includes the motor, transmission, driveshaft, differential, and the final drive components (e.g., drive axles and drive wheels). A vehicle driveline (e.g., drivetrain) includes parts of a vehicle powertrain after the transmission. Evolution of heavy vehicle powertrains has resulted in higher torque forces applied to the drivelines and, more specifically, to the driveshafts between the transmission and drive axles. Therefore, torque applied to the driveshaft may be high enough to damage (e.g., break) the driveshaft.
For example, automatic traction control (ATC) may apply high levels of braking torque to some of the drive wheels, when necessary, to assist in accelerating the vehicle. This level of traction control braking torque, when resisting the torque from the driveshaft through the gearing of the differential, may be enough to damage (e.g., break) the driveshaft. In another example, manual acceleration by a vehicle operator depressing an acceleration pedal may similarly result in a level of torque applied to the driveshaft that may damage (e.g., break) the driveshaft.
The present invention provides a new and improved apparatus and method for reducing damage (e.g., breakage) to a vehicle driveshaft.